In a semiconductor manufacturing process, a plasma processing apparatus that performs a plasma process of etching or depositing a thin film has been widely used. Examples of the plasma processing apparatus may include a plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) apparatus that performs a deposition process of a thin film or a plasma etching apparatus that performs an etching process.
The plasma processing apparatus includes, for example, a processing vessel that partitions a plasma processing space; a sample table that mounts a target substrate thereon within the processing vessel; and a gas supply system that supplies a processing gas for plasma reaction into the processing vessel. Further, the plasma processing apparatus also includes a plasma generation device that supplies electromagnetic energy such as a microwave, a RF wave, etc. to excite the processing gas within the processing vessel into plasma; and a bias voltage application device that applies a bias voltage to the sample table to accelerate ions in the plasma toward the target substrate mounted on the sample table.
It has been known that in a plasma processing apparatus, when etching a target substrate on which an insulating film for dual damascene wiring is formed, a mask film having plasma resistance is formed on a surface of the insulating film to form an etching pattern on the insulating film. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 describes that a mask film of a titanium-containing material (e.g., TiN) is formed on a surface of an insulating film on a target substrate, and the mask film is arranged within a processing vessel to face a plasma processing space and then the target substrate is etched using the mask film as a mask.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2006-216964